--With Robin Lopez out until the end of November, the Suns are in the market for a big man to add to the bench. But he has to be capable of playing 10-15 minutes in the rotation and at the high tempo the Suns will play. If it's a choice between adding another tall cheerleader and practice body over keeping invitee point guard Dan Dickau on the roster as insurance against Steve Nash's troublesome back, Dickau is the best choice. Many of the available big men have already served a tour of duty in Phoenix. Ideally, they'd like to find a Steven Hunter-type, an athletic, rebounding presence (The original model is now overpriced and sidelined with bad knees.)
--The Suns' wild preseason began with a win over Partizan Belgrade and a second straight loss in the annual outdoor game in Indian Wells, Calif. Last year, the Suns blamed their poor offensive showing on the cold and windy conditions.
This time, the weather was great. The wind was minimal -- and, once again, so was the Phoenix offense. That trend continued in a second straight loss at Oklahoma City.
The Suns are playing a lot of players and the starters aren't playing beyond a token appearance in the third period. But with all the other areas of concern for Phoenix, offense wasn't expected to be one of them.
MAIN REASON SUNS CAN WIN: The team is happier. Terry Porter, along with his coaching methods and restrictive style, is gone. Shaquille O'Neal, along with his plodding game and divisive locker room aura, is gone. Two years ago, the Suns were a championship contender that couldn't get over the hump. Under Alvin Gentry, the Suns are back to running, back to gunning and back to a more harmonious group on the floor. Channing Frye fits this version of the Suns like a glove and will unclog the court and make the Suns tough to stop every night.
MAIN REASON SUNS CAN LOSE: For a running team, the Suns have a lot of miles on them. Two of the team's three best players, Grant Hill and Steve Nash, are on the back side of their careers. And while the offense should be potent, the defense could be worse than ever without a shut-down defender on the outside and a shot-blocking threat in the middle. The Suns want to run off made baskets again: the question is, how many made baskets will there be?
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Last year, we got kind of sidetracked in trying to play a different style and I don't think we necessarily announced it. Through practice, we started becoming something that none of us were really aware or comfortable with in terms of the direction we were going. I think having a clear vision of how we're going to play is important. I think (playing up-tempo) has always been (general manager) Steve's (Kerr) vision for the club. Fans really enjoy it and it's entertaining." -- Suns guard Steve Nash.
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